Egg case



Feb. 16, 1960 R. 1. HANCOCK EGG CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w 3. km; m .0. ,/owm, F. mw w 3 m n m H .\V ,9 m ww J. 5 .0 .mw/5 5/ .lli o aan Wll'lllllllll @VII if I Filed March 13, 1957 Il Il..."

Feb. 16, 1960 R. J. HANcocK EGG CASE 2 SheetsF-Sheet 2 Filed March 13,1957 United States Patent inventiontrelates;todimprovement in means forhandling and displayinggeg'gs and more' particularly to'a.novelicase:by-.which eggs'` 'arebmh handled and dis- ,tillerilatsandyet in the processing of' eggs for grade and packagingjthe .eggsI maybe-z applied in cartonsA guided bythe case.` Thisxprovides fori the-handling of eggs ,cithcrona packagedor 'aloose basis., A l

A further object of the invention is to provide a -specially designedegg case which is lightweight and which has a greatnurnber of luses;such` as-thosementioned above, and in making store deliveries. 4, Asingle case may be held in each hand'in orderto improve the ba'lance`for the deliverymanfflhere is considerable `maneuverability by handlingthe eggs in this way so that -it is easier to handle the eggs either inthe hen house,

processing or loading and unloading in delivering" eggs.

. YA further object ofthe invention isto provide a'case las'describedabove wherein it iscapable of being used with push forks orother mechanical handling equipment. This is achievediby lhaving askid'under each case, providing the necessary'rninimum.,clearance forV theVfork -attachmenton a` handmtruck. Evenwith this; the cases are arrangedso that they are capable of being stacked, and in stacking the casesinterlock.

Although the case for handling the eggs is functional, as describedabove and as will become apparent to those skilled in the art infollowing the subsequent description of the illustrated embodiment ofthe invention, it is so constructed that the eggs either loose (on llerats) or in cartons are completely vendable, since they are easilyextracted by the customer when the case is used as a display rack.

These4 together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully here inafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof,where inlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which: i

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a case which is structed in accordancewith the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse, sectional view as it would appear when lookingon the line 2 2 of Figure 1, there being a plurality of liller flatswith eggs thereon disposed in the egg case;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an egg case of the invention as itwould appear when used for display purposes in a store and when the eggsare being handled on a loose basis; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the egg case showing the same to beused with packaged eggs, for example, as would be used in a store;

2,925,206 Patented Feb. 16,

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Figures 3 and 4 showing inaddition to `the specitic usesxmentionedvariousother possible,uses, such as the cases in readiment for use bythe deliveryman,` foristaeking, for transportation, for storage, etc. Inthe accompanying drawings, `there is an eggcase 10 which is constructedto exemplify the principleswof the: invention.{ This; egg caseis` madecompletelyfpf wire', and it is presently contemplatedpto use alightweight metal wire, although` other` materials` may be adopted. Thecase 10 is constructedofthree principals-sections, namely: the uppersection 12, the bottom or lower section 14 and the side walls orintermediate sections 16. `4AUpper section or top 12 has three side`members 17, 18 `and 19 and a front membery 20 that has a large frontalopening. The front sidewall 22 of case 10 is made of two wire members23` and 24 which extend downwardly-and'lthey converge slightly towardthe bottom 14. `They are se.- cured attheir lower extremities to thefront member26 of bottorn'14 and are joined integrally at their upperedges to the confronting ends of front20. f,

' A` carrying handle `and fsupport30 is formed with an inwardly openinghook 31 at one` end and an intermediate `loop 32 and, finally, at `theother end' a hingeloop 33. yThe hinge loop encircles a part of the sidemember 19 and the hook 31 embraces an intermediate part of the .sidemember 17. t In order Ato release the carrying handle `30 for access tothe interior of the case fromthe open top thereof, the side walls of thecase are exed together slightly and hook 31- released. lThe reverseprocedure is carried` out` to `attach thehandle 30.

The bottom or base 141s made ofsa rectangular frame having the previousmentioned side member 26,` together with sidelmembers 35, 36 and 37,respectively. Cross members 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43 are spot welded orotherwiseattached at their ends to the sides,35 and 37 and they form thesupport for theegg filler flats o r cartonsp Supports 44, 45, 46 and 47for the case each have `right angular offsets at the-ends which areattached vto the side member 35 and 36, thereby spacing the4 rectangularframe of base 14 from the ground, floor or 4other `supporting surface toenable `a hand truck fork to `t easily thereunder.

The four sides 22, 50, 51 and 52 are made of rigidly attached wiremembers extending from the top 12 to the bottom 14 of the egg case. Sidewall 22 has been previously described and is made of members 23 and 24.Side wall 50 is the same as side wall 52, consisting of four uprightside members 55, 56, 5 7 and 58, respectively. Members 56 and 57 areclose to each other and are at about the center of the side wall 50.Latch hook 51 is adapted to be inserted between members 56 and 57, whilethe hinge eye 53 is between corresponding members 60 and 61 of side 52.The flanking members 62 and 63 correspond to the members 55 and 58. Theback side wall 51 is made of two wire members 66 and 67, which, like themembers 62 and 55, have U-shaped lower ends 70 and 71. The U-shapedlower ends 72 and 73 on members 55 and 62 cooperate therewith in orderto prevent lateral Vsliding between stacked cases and also to functionas feet.

The use of the egg case has been indicated previously. The two principaluses of the case will be in connection with loose eggs (Figures 2 and 3)or with eggs in packages (Figure 4'). Packaged eggs are apparent intheir application tothe case, and from inspection of Figurev 2, eggs ona loose basis are equally as apparent. The ordinary filler ats 81, 82,83, 84, and 86 respectively that are illustrated in Figure 2 stack withthe eggs supported in the pockets thereof.

In those instances where it is desired to stack the cases, the angularolsets 89 at each end of each support A3, 44p-15,46 andf47 nest within-the open top 12 of the lower case and U-shap'ed ends 70, 71, 72 and 73t on the outside surface of the sides 17, 18 and 19 of the top Theforegoingv 'is considered as illustrative only :f the principles =f'thee Yi'nve'rltion." Further, since numerous inoi nges will readilyIdeenr to "those i fnot'fd'esir'ed toflimitfthefinvemion to "hefexactrcnsftructlion"and "operation shown and dethe bottom of the Tease, -saidsupports 'being sufficiently upper open frame t`o V'wlticl-l said sidekrnembersare se.

cured'fa'substantially '-o'pen front 'on said case but havingftl'wofsli'ghtly Vinclined members'lby which to prevent separatlon f:the llill'er flates or cartons from the Vcase, a Yplurality :of"supports 'for the Lcase attached to said ibase Eaudvfiiiust'ati/theends `thereof, members depending ibelow fsaid base f'and "c'oactingwith-the inset parts of said sup- `p'o'rfts 1t'cV-forin-l clamps bywhich a lower case'rnay bepreverited'fro'm laterally sliding whenstacked therewith.

13. in a =rriultipurpose case, van upper section and a fsection, saidlower section being constructed of la :fffamef'on which to support`filler ats or cartons, a vplnrality of side members extending from saidbase, an upper open frame to which said s ide members are secured, asubstantially open front on said case but having two slightly inclinedmembers by which to prevent separation of the ller ats or cartons fromthe case, a plurality of supports for the case attached to said base andinset at the ends thereof, membens `depending below said base andcoacting with the ins'tpartslof said supports `to form clamps by which alower ca'seniay be prevented from laterally sliding what-stackedtherewith, a transverse handle in the closed position` over thenormallyvopen top of the case.

, 4. In a multipurpose case, an upper section and a lower section, saidlower section being constructed of a frame on which to support fillerflats or cartons, a plurality of 'side 'members 'extending ffrom saidbase, 'an -upper'open Lfran-re to 'whichfsaid iside "members aresecured, fa sub1 stantially Aopen v'front 'on sa'id case bthavingtwoslightly inclined members by which to prevent separationoffthe fillerats or' cartons :fror'n Ithecas'e; axpluality-flsupports lforthecasejattachedto said'base andiinset yat'the 'ends

